2020 buzz, cameo appearances and more: Political highlights from the 2018 Iowa State Fair

Fairgoers pass by the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox as Rob Sand, a democratic candidate for State Auditor, spoke on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.(Photo11: Bryon Houlgrave/The Register)

Evan McMullin, a former Central Intelligence Agency operations officer who ran as an Independent for president during the 2016 election cycle: “I will run again. But very candidly and very honestly, I don’t know when, and I don’t know for which office. I have not ruled anything out.”

Democratic presidential hopeful Andrew Yang speaks at the Political Soapbox on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.(Photo11: Bryon Houlgrave/The Register)

U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat serving his third term in Congress: "I'm going to help us win the midterms, do what I need to do to help our candidates. And then consider it. I am considering it. ... I have a daughter due on Nov. 4, so the decision will be made right after that."

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock: "The time that I've been in Iowa people are focused on, as they should be, these state elections coming up in 84 days. And I have been trying to listen and learn, not just in Iowa, but in other states. And really right now that is as far as it goes. I don't know what I'll do."

Julián Castro, the former secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama and former mayor of San Antonio: "I'm going to make a decision (about running for president) after November and before the end of the year."

2. Avenatti steals spotlight

Michael Avenatti, a cable news regular who made his name representing adult film actress Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Donald Trump, made a splash during his first visit to Iowa.

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"I wanted to come to Iowa and listen to people and learn about some issues that are facing the citizens of Iowa and do my homework," said Avenatti, who was guided around the fairgrounds by veteran political operative Matt Paul and former lieutenant governor Patty Judge.

Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, stands just off the grand concourse of the Iowa State Fair with Iowa Attorney General Tim Miller before speaking at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, at the Iowa State Fair. (Photo11: Kelsey Kremer/The Register)

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock have been friends for about 10 years — ever since Bullock served as his state's attorney general and sought advice from Miller.

4. Out-of-town media descends on Des Moines

When politicians come to Iowa, reporters follow.

Writers and photographers from the Washington Post, New York Times, Bloomberg, NBC and more were at the fair throughout its 11-day run.

Delaney, the first Democrat to actually declare a run for the presidency, fielded a crowd of television cameras and reporters. And Bullock, whose profile is rising as he mulls a 2020 bid, drew a herd of reporters. Castro, Swalwell, Yang and Steyer also appeared to have media trailing them.

5. Cameo appearances galore

Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner talks with Democrat John Delaney, a presidential hopeful, at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa.(Photo11: Rodney White/The Register)

Hang out at the Iowa State Fair long enough and you're bound to catch a few familiar political faces.

On Aug. 16, a group of men wearing orange Laborers' International Union of North America T-shirts found themselves chatting with Boston Mayor Marty Walsh along the fair's Grand Concourse. Walsh said he was definitely not running for president (we had to ask!), but felt compelled to work with Democrats to win back voters they lost in 2016.

And on Aug. 17, U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, visited the fair with U.S. Rep. David Young. He was in town to hold a fundraiser for the Republican, who is in what appears to be a tight race against Democrat Cindy Axne in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District.

As the pair made their way down the Grand Concourse, they ran into Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds (of course they did), posed for selfies and munched on brown sugar pork belly on a stick at the Iowa Pork Producers tent.

Rep. David Young, right, poses for a selfie with state fair goers as well as Gov. Kim Reynolds and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 in Des Moines. Brian Powers/The Register

6. Mike Pence visits...

Pence promised Iowa farmers that he and President Donald Trump have their best interests in mind as they work to renegotiate trade deals, and he implored the crowd of more than 250 people to continue standing with the administration.

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Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States, points to a person in the crowd while speaking to Iowans on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Vice President Mike Pence answers questions from the media after speaking at an America First Policies event on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

The crowd gathered to hear Vice President Mike Pence speak cheers as he walks on stage during an America First Policies event on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Vice President Mike Pence pauses before answering questions from the media after speaking at an America First Policies event on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Vice President Mike Pence answers questions from the media after speaking at an America First Policies event on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Kelsey Kremer/The Register

7. Des Moines Register's Political Soapbox

A long-running tradition in Iowa politics, the Political Soapbox this year featured a slew of candidates running for offices up and down the ballot, including state auditor, treasurer, secretary of state, secretary of agriculture, governor and Congress.

And, of course, some presidential hopefuls (both declared and "considering") were on hand as well. Find full coverage at DesMoinesRegister.com/Soapbox.